Agitator for washing machines



P 30, 1940. T. J. LITLE, JR

AGITATOR FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Oct. '7; 193'! ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Easy Washing Machine Corporation,

Syracuse,

N. Y., a corporation of Delaware V Application October 7, 1937, Serial No. 167,795

1 Claim.

My invention relates to washing machines and more particularly to a novel washing machine agitator construction of the general type shown in my copending application'serial No. 137,999, filed April 20, 1937.

An object of my invention is to provide an agitator for a washing machine which may be manufactured at a reasonable cost.

Another object of my invention is to provide an agitator made of such materials that the agitator presents a smooth non-abrasive surface to the clothes and which is long-wearing and which does not become rough or pitted in use.

My invention further contemplatesthe provision of an agitator which may be made of inexpensive materials, may be fabricated at a small cost and which will wash the clothes efliciently and thoroughly in a minimum length of time.

More specifically, my invention contemplates an improvement in an agitator of the general type described in the above mentioned copending application wherein novel means are employed for preventing clothes from being caught between the inner edges of the blades and the agitator shaft supporting sleeve.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical view, partly in section, showing my novel agitator mounted in a washing machine vat.

Figure 2 is a view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial top plan view of the agitator.

A Figure 4 is a view taken on the line Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing one of the agitator blades with its segmental hub.

Figure 6 is a view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

The agitator of my invention is adapted to be mounted in a vat or tub II in which washing fluid and the clothes to be washed are placed. The washing vat may be of any desired shape, either square or circular in cross section. The agitator, generally indicated by the numeral I2, is preferably mounted centrally of the vat l I and is driven by a shaft l3 extending upward through the bottom of the vat.

The drive shaft l3 may be driven by any suitable mechanism and from any suitable source of power not necessary to be shown or described herein since such driving mechanism for operating the agitator is well known in the art to which this invention applies. While my invention is equally adapted to the construction of an agitator adapted to be continuously rotated in one direction, preferably the shaft is driven in an oscillatory manner so as to drive the agitator through an arc of 180 more or less at a comparatively high rate of speed, for example, between fifty and sixty oscillations per minute.

Extending from the bottom of the Val; and having at its lower end a flange l4, adjacent the bottom of the vat, is a sleeve l6 which extends upward concentric with the drive shaft l3 and which is somewhat tapered towards its upper end. The upper end of the sleeve l6 has a hearing I! which serves to support the shaft. The upper end of the sleeve extends above the normal surface level of cleansing fluid in the vat to prevent leakage of the cleansing fluiddownward along the shaft. The upper end of the shaft has slidably keyed to the shaft a splined collar 18, the splines of which mesh with cooperating splines l5 formed internally of a cap IS. The splined collar I8 may be adjustably securedto the shaft by set screws and the key 20'. Upon shifting the collar along the shaft and securing it in its adjusted position, the height of the agitator above the bottom of the vat may be varied. The cap l9 may be supported from the collar l8 by providing internal threads in the cap 19 adapted to receive a nut 2|.

A thumb nut 22 of any desired configuration, having a screw portion 23, may be threaded into the upper end of the shaft to retain the cap rigidly in position with respect to the shaft and the collar l8. The cap l9 may be of any desired shape and at its lower portion, as indicated at 24, is increased in diameter and provided with a plurality of lugs 25 each adapted to support a blade of the agitator. Each blade comprises a rod 26 bent to form a nearly closed frame which outlines the blade and may be of substantially semi-circular shape as illustrated, and a covering which completely encloses the rod frame except for the projecting rod ends, as shown most clearly in Figure 5. The agitator blades may be formed on the metal rod frames by molding pref erably rubber about the rods, as more particularly described in the above mentioned copending application. The ends of the rods may be secured in the cap by driving pins 21 into the cap which extend through openings formed in the ends of the rods. As will be apparent, the blades are separately formed and then'assembled with respect to the cap.

While the agitator blades may be formed in any one of the several ways described in the above mentioned 'copendin'g application, preferably the agitator blades are formed by molding the rubber around the bent rod so as to provide a weblike surface 28 which constitutes the blade. Preferably, the mold is ribbed so as toprovide vertically extending ribs 29 in the blade surface. The ribs 29 provide a somewhat scrubboard-like surface which at the same time is not harsh and abrasive on the clothes due to the fact that the blades are made of rubber.

One of the difliculties I have encountered with an agitator of the general type shown in the above mentioned copending application is that of preventing clothes from being caught between the inner edges of the blades and the sleeve it. While I have shown in said application methods of preventing this, I consider the means shown in this application to be more satisfactory.

In accordance with my invention, I mold integral with each of the blades a segmental hub 3|. One vertical edge of the segmental hub has a tongue or rib 32 adapted to mate with a vertically extending groove 33 formed on the segmental hub of an adjacent blade. Thus each of the segmental hubs has a vertically extending rib 32 and a vertically extending groove 33 so that when the agitator is assembled a solid hub, generally indicated by the numeral 34, is formed at the center of the agitator which lies in spaced relationship with the sleeve [6, as shown in Figures 1 and 4. The inner face of the segmental hub 34 tapers in a manner corresponding to the taper of the sleeve l6 so that the spacing of the segmental hub from the sleeve is the same throughout the height of the agitator.

When the agitator blades are assembled, the appearance presented by the agitator is that of an integral molded unit instead of separately formed blades. The segmental hubs, when assembled together, form a complete column or enclosure about the sleeve and thereby serve to prevent clothes from being caught between the blades and the sleeve of the agitator.

It will be appreciated that I have provided "simple means of preventing clothes from being caught between the inner edges of the blades and the sleeve and that various changes and modifications may be made in the form and relation of the parts without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claim.

I'claim:

An agitator adapted to be mounted for operation in a vat containing clothes and washing fluid and adapted to be driven by a shaft extending upward through the bottom of the vat, said agitator comprising a plurality of frames, a frame supporting member adjacent the top of said shaft from which the frames are suspended, each 01' said frames having formed thereon a blade of resilient material and a segmental hub formed integral with each of said blades, said segmental hubs when the agitator is assembled forming a central enclosure circular in cross section encircling the shaft, the contiguous portions of adjacent segmental hubs having formed thereon cooperating locking means for retaining the seamental hubs in assembled relationship.

THOMAS J. LITLE, JR. 

